Gavin McKenna’s Decision Puts an Exclamation Point on an Old Hockey Debate
by Adam Wodon/Managing Editor (@chn-adam-wodon)
Gavin McKenna’s commitment to Penn State is college hockey’s “drop the mic” moment.
It was already building, and there will be other big names after him, but when, for the first time ever, a so-called “generational talent” decides to leave Canadian Major Juniors for the NCAA, then it’s game over.
When the rule changed allowing Major Junior players to still be eligible for the NCAA, everyone knew it would open up the door to hundreds of 20-year olds to come to college hockey programs. It would flood the NCAA with more talent than ever before.
But initially, no one was quite sure what to expect out of 18-year olds. Would Canada’s top talent want to come to the NCAA? Would college hockey continue to get players like Macklin Celebrini, Owen Power and Adam Fantilli — guys who spent a year in the USHL to retain NCAA eligibility because they wanted to play college hockey? Instead, would that kind of player just go to Major Junior and never step foot in the NCAA?
Well, we have our answer. At first it was a trickle. Then it was a flood. Then McKenna put the exclamation point on it.
Young players, their families, their agents, and even most of the NHL executives are saying loudly and clearly — the NCAA is the best next-level progression for a player’s development path.
To someone who has been around college hockey for 35-plus years, this is somewhat mind-blowing.
Do you know how many times I’ve heard over the years — especially from Canadians — that Major Junior was “obviously” the best route to the NHL. They played more games, there were better players, and that’s just the way it is. It was considered a given, and to challenge this dogma, was to receive nothing but sneers. Obviously I wasn’t the only one hearing this, this was the widespread prevailing wisdom in hockey for decades.
In Canadian Major Junior inner circles, they’re still saying it. But no one is listening now.
When I was working in the minor leagues, our coach was a former NHL center. I was hired for a broadcasting job based off a resume tape of the 1997 NCAA semifinal between BU and Michigan. I didn’t hide my fondness for NCAA hockey, and didn’t think I had to. I wasn’t saying…
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